A woman in Texas was so angry at her former common-law husband that she decided to fry and eat his pet goldfish. The not-so-lucky 7 gold fish were bought by the couple during happier days. Police say it's a civil not a criminal matter and left the couple to work out the issue. I guess revenge is a dish best served fried!

I always thought of goldfish as being pretty unrewarding pets. At best, they're just a nice decoration that require a ton of maintenance that can cause a mess, consumes time, and is rather difficult.

Still, I get attached to inanimate objects, such as iPods and computers. I still couldn't imagine eating pet fish. No, it's not at all the same as eating a cat or a dog: is eating a cow the same as eating a dog or a cat? Even if it has a name? No. And I say that as a vegetarian -- certain animals make better meals for a variety of reasons. Livestock, as you may notice, primarily eat grains and grass. Eating carnivores and omnivores isn't as good for us, nor is it as tasty (I had bear once, many years ago, and it was awful), although ease of capture and domestication were surely a factor.

That said, it's still unsettling. It's indicative of some degree of mental imbalance, and if I were her common law husband, I'd take the message to heart and put as much distance between us as possible. The torture and murder of pets is a common tool of intimidation in abusive relationships and it shouldn't be taken lightly.